Imprisonment
by MissLudenberg
Summary: The man in the top hat just needed some more motivation, that was all. Kidnapping and locking his adopted daughter in the basement days before the first letter didn't sound like such a bad idea if it only brought the Professor closer to his goal, just as planned.


***weeps* yes yes I KNOW I'm supposed to be writing the next chapter of The Fatal Night, it's just writer's block, man. Writer's block can hit you like a full wall of bricks to the head. So to make sure my writing doesn't go all out of practise while I'm not doing it as often, I'm just writing little things to fill the void that story has burnt into the core of my inner soul. Anyway, this type of story is rather...different, but I hope I'll manage it anyway. I guess the chapters will be shorter than the usual amount that I'm used to writing, but I do hope that won't stop you reading. If I even get to the fifth chapter, then I will actually go out and buy myself a cake for going so far, ahaha. Alright, now the commentary's over. But feel free to hassle me further about The Fatal Night, it may end up motivating me more.**

Imprisonment

_The man in the top hat just needed some more motivation, that was all. Kidnapping and locking his adopted daughter in the basement days before the first letter didn't sound like such a bad idea if it only brought the Professor closer to his goal, just as planned. _

Chapter 1- Empty Air

"I'm off to a friend's!" A female voice rang throughout the household from the direction of the front door, alerting inhabitants of its message.

Flora Reinhold glanced up to the top of the staircase, expectant on a reply.

"That's fine, dear! Be back before it gets too dark, alright?" The Professor called downstairs, peering around the banister to wave a goodbye to his adopted daughter who was already halfway out of the entrance.

Flora giggled at the approval, slinging a jacket over her shoulder in preparation and returning the Professor's friendly gesture. "Sure thing, Professor! Goodbye!" She extended her neck forward and raised the volume of her voice to address the young boy in his room. "Bye Luke!"

She smiled at the muffled reply that emitted from upstairs, and with that, shut the door behind her. Smooth black heels clacked against the stone ground as she hopped off of the porch and hurried off to her destination. It was a usual afternoon in the streets of London, the frequent bustle of crowds manoeuvring the city gradually dying down as the wake of evening began to settle in. Flora sighed heavily, drawing in a breath of the zest that was the sweet air.

Although the air had been fresher in the rural area of St Mystere, she found herself more content with the company that living in London had brought along. After years of being alone, she now had two very good companions that lived with her, consoled her, and provided her with their radiating warmth. As her connections spread, she soon found herself with more friends and people who made her feel welcome. But in the end, the Professor and Luke were her true family and she would never forget it. They had only left her behind once, that once was easily excused with a reasonable explanation. They promised that it would never happen again, and Flora fell for that.

She would never have to be alone again.

As Flora skipped along the path, lost in her own thoughts, she seemed completely oblivious to the figure discreetly following her from behind on this abandoned path.

A pair of hands reached out.

She turned.

It grabbed her.

She tried to let out a scream, before her mouth was clamped and she was forcefully dragged into the ominous pools of shadow enveloping their forms from daylight behind the street. Flora writhed and thrashed weakly in the anonymous person's rough grasp, tears at the corner of her eyes from the shock of the sudden movement.

And then the entire world swirled under a blackness that she couldn't surface.

* * *

Heavy eyelids fluttered open to the spinning surroundings, lips loosely open and body accompanied with the cold cement below, save for the unfriendly sickish-yellow rug that scratched against her skin. Flora stirred; head reeling from the impact—whatever that impact was, exactly. Her nose wrinkled from the humidity of the room she lay in, the dampness hanging in the air and providing a real contrast from the freshness of the atmosphere just moments ago. She also noticed the lack of light darkening the place, clouding her vision and creating an additional job for her eyes to adjust.

"Wh-where am I…?" She croaked unsteadily, pulling herself up to her knees.

"Ah, finally awake? Thank goodness. I was almost beginning to question whether the dosage was too strong…"

The presence of another, unfamiliar voice cut through the thick air and snapped Flora to attention. Her mind began to race. Her heart began to speed up. Just what…was going on here? This voice felt cunning...unsettling, to say the least. Needless to say, she had never heard it before. When she found she couldn't look past the darkness that obscured the face of this person on the top of the stairs, she leant forward and forced out a wobbly "Who…are you?"

There was a short chuckle. Flora stiffened.

"There is no need to know my identity, nor what my intentions are, but let's say you could call me…" The person hesitated for a second or two. "…Klaus."

_Klaus, Klaus… _Flora searched her brain for a register on that name, but nothing arose. This was a completely new person that she was sure she hadn't met before. Even his voice was different.

"Anyway, you may be wondering what you're doing here," Klaus continued, his tone never-changing from the smug, overpowering state, sending a chill down Flora's spine as she ached to know exactly what this 'Klaus' had done with her. "Allow me to explain. You currently reside in a basement underground, a place where I can't let you leave. In a short way of saying things, I drugged you and then brought you here. Some might say I abducted you."

Her heart dropped into her stomach at those words.

_But…you did abduct me! _Flora grimaced, forehead creasing with anguish at the very thought of her situation. Stories in the newspapers told of extremely distressing scenarios and experiences that can result from one's kidnapping, stories that Flora especially didn't want to live through. But what about the Professor or Luke? If she was not out for longer than a few hours, then they both would be under the assumption that she was still out. What about the friend she was supposed to meet? Surely she would be able to call home and…and…Flora frantically rummaged through her jacket pockets, trying to find the communication device that she had brought along with her should anything happen.

"Looking for this?" Klaus suggested, holding up a pink flip phone by his fingers.

Flora's eyes widened in realisation, and then she gave two slow nods. She didn't want to aggravate this man; he could be dangerous—wait, of course he was dangerous, he was a child kidnapper! This creep!

"Too bad," Klaus addressed the confirmation, slipping the object into his shirt pocket. "An item such as this won't be necessary."

It didn't take Flora long to realise that she was trembling. Trembling in fear of this…crazy man, whoever he was, and what he would do to her should she not obey him in the ways he pleases. Trembling in fear of the fact that she was going to be stuck here for god knows how long. Trembling in fear of the fact that she was going to be alone again, without the Professor, and without Luke.

"Wh…why are you doing this…? Why me…?" Flora hoarsely whispered at the best she could manage.

Klaus seemed unfazed by the girl's questions, and closed his eyes. Flora would have been able to see his face clearer if only he wasn't shrouded in shadow. "'Why you'? As I said, my motives are irrelevant as of now, but let's just say my 'goal' involves a certain Hershel Layton, someone I'm sure you know."

Flora gasped at the mention of the Professor's name. So…this man was keeping her here, hostage? He was keeping her here for a ransom, perhaps? In one way or another, it was perfectly possible that this 'Klaus' had intentions of harming the Professor by using herself against him…! How horrible! She definitely had to get out of here…!

"P-Please let me go…" Flora was shaking now, the determination in her mind clearly not echoed by her body.

"I apologise, but that simply cannot be done. I've come too far to turn back now."

"O-oh…" She squeaked, giving in.

'Giving in'. 'Submitting herself.' 'Submitting the Professor to potential threat and harm, all because she wasn't courageous enough to do anything.' These words replayed over and over through her mind, and as she reached the last, an idea sparked. She couldn't let that happen, no way, not after all the Professor had offered her!

Flora didn't even think twice about it. She yelped suddenly and thrust herself forward, making a mad dash for the stairs; one single objective boring through every other sense of fear and apprehension she held within. She ran as fast as her boots could carry her, thinking that perhaps she could charge for the door and push Klaus out of her way, before she was stopped in her tracks as a hand forcefully knocked her back to the cement floor.

She choked on the rush of air from her lungs as she collided with the asphalt. Skin was grazed from the roughness that tore it, causing her arm to sting with blotches of red. Flora stared at the dull ceiling in shock, breath hitched.

"I'll have you know that I'm very reluctant to use violence against you, but consider this your first warning. When I am not on the premises, this area will be heavily guarded. If you choose to attempt the same idea then, I cannot say the same for these men. I'm sorry that it has to be this way, but there is no escape from here. I've planned into intricate detail ensuring that" Klaus cautioned coldly, his voice as still as stone. Whatever smugness or mocking from before couldn't be traced.

Flora could only listen as she lay unmoving against the floor. Her ears only perked up at the sound of the door clicking shut and locked into position. The air was empty for a moment, devoid of any movement or noise carried through. The teenage girl twitched.

And that was that.

She was alone again, at the hands of her captive: a merciless and crazy man that seemed to be trying to fulfil an unfathomable plan. Flora could only expect the worst to happen to the Professor and Luke as hot tears streamed down her cheeks, pooling and getting caught in her unkempt hair. She bit her lip in anxiety, a shrill sob building up from the back of her throat.

"Please…let me out…"

Just…how long was she going to be trapped in here like this, like some kind of pet? She…she had to get out of here, even if it was the last thing Flora would do!


End file.
